"How do we handle power in our everyday lives?" We
use power in our everyday lives in the loving service of others, just like
Jesus Christ did. Always, with all
things, loving service. This means that
we do not coerce but invite, we do not dominate but offer, we do not manipulate
but simply love others without seeking to gain or expecting them to do anything
in return. We may even get hurt in return.
This does not mean that we, as those who serve, look to be
walked all over by other people. We can still
in loving ways explain and tell why we would not do x while choosing to
serve by doing y instead. By
doing so, we are saying that we are not willing for others to coerce us into
serving in ways that we do not feel called by God to serve. However, our refusal to do something is not a power play over the other person. It is simply denying them power over us.
What I beseech us to do is to "submit to one another
out of reverence for Christ" (Eph 5:21).
We may choose to allow others to influence us through teaching or
preaching; at the same time the person who we give power to should then
be willing to and actively be submitting that power back to us in reverence
to Christ. Power should never remain in
the hands of one person or group of people before being placed back in the hands
of those who allowed others to have power in the first place. This also means that as servants of Jesus we
should never be making "power plays" to seize power in any context,
even if we think we know what is "best" to do in certain
situations. It is always "power under
not power over." (There may be some
exceptions - such as a fireman commanding how to act in a fire, or a police
officer telling people to stay down in the midst of gunfire. This needs to be thought through, just
remember we are always loving as children of God).
For example, I am a pastor who has "authority" and
"power" in the church where I work for by nature of the
position. Yet, I must continually work
to use that power in service of others, listening to the wisdom of
others, and seeking to empower those I serve in return for them allowing
me to have authority over them in some way. It can never be a "my way or the
highway" scenario - it's always "Jesus' way." The one or ones in power seek to give up
their power to the powerless through service.
Another place where this may play out is in a marriage. Both the husband and wife seek to serve and
empower the other in mutual submission - the man does not have the "final
say" or hold the power, but neither does the wife because they agree to
submit and to work things out together.
Ultimately this ends with power flowing back to God, seeking God's will
together in life.
At this time, we may be thinking something like this:
"Ok, so I sort of understand what you mean by power and submitting and
basically I understand I need to serve others.
But, how does this play out when I am a supervisor at my secular
job? Can I vote for leaders? How does this play out at the national level
when the U.S. has lots of power? How do
we respond to tyrants?" We'll work
through these questions in the coming weeks in parts 5, 6 and 7 (possibly
more).
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